Crop pickup reel



K. J. VAN SICKLE CROP PICKUP REEL Feb. 3, 1953 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1951 IN VENTOR. KENNETH J V/V SIC/(LE Hfs Arron/ver Patented Feb. 3, 1953 CROP PICKUP REEL Kenneth J. Van Sickle, Shortsville, N. Y., assignor to Papec Machine Company, Shortsville, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 23, 1951, Serial No. 212,255

rlhis invention relates to pick-up reels for picking up crops from the ground and feeding them to Ia harvesting machine, and more particularly to pick-up reels having a plurality of pick-up ngers which are capable of simultaneous angular adjustment to suit varying operating conditions, one object of the invention being to provide an improved pick-up reel of the above nature having a more simple, practical and efficient type of construction.

Another object is to provide a reel having the above advantages in which the pick-upfinger parts are so constructed and arranged so as to be readily detachable for repair or replacement.`

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements .and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged fragmentary, front sectional elevation, showing the connections between the drive shaft and an arbor of apick-up reel embodying the present invention.;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 shows one of the disk parts of the reel detached for better illustration;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but shows the arbors and pick-up lingers in a different position of adjustment;

Fig. 6 shows a disk for adjusting the pick-up fingers, detached for better illustration, and

Fig. 7 shows another one of the disk parts of the reel, detached for better illustration. t

This invention is an improvement in .pick-up reels of the type employed-'for harvestinghay and the like, such as the pick-up reel disclosed in my copending application', Pick-Up Reel for Har-` vesters, Serial No. 639,178, filed January 5, 1946, now Patent No. 2,548,329, to which reference may be had for a more complete disclosure of the constructional features of the reel not shown herein.

The pick-up reel preferably comprises a longitudinally extending rotary drive shaft which is mounted at the ends thereof in suitable bearings secured to the frame of a harvester or other machine. The reel is rotated by connection with ground engaging wheels or by a tractor powery take-olf, or by a motor mounted on the harvesterv frame as disclosed in said application and as well understood in the art, As shown in the above copending application, the drive shaft preferably 5 Claims. (Cl. 56--364) has a plurality of arbors connected thereto, said arbors being provided with a series of pick-up fingers for removing the crops from the ground. The arbors are capable of limited rotary adjustment so` as to rchange the angle of contact of the pick-up ngers to suit varying `ground and crop conditions. The present invention relates more particularly to an improved and more efficient means for simultaneously adjusting said arbors and pick-up fingers. l

The present embodiment of the invention, herein disclosed by way of illustration, comprises a longitudinally extending drive shaft I9 (Fig. 1) which has xed thereon adjacent each end thereof, by welding 20 or other suitable means, a member 2| (Fig. 1), preferably in the form of a circular plate or disk (Figs. 3 and 4), each having its periphery formed with a, plurality of circumferentially spaced seats, preferably, in the form of radially extending outwardly opening slots 23' (Fig. 4) the inner ends of which are of semi-circular shape to seat the arbors hereafter described. A similar member or disk 25 is fixed, by welding 26 or other suitable and known means, on shaft I9, intermediate the disks 2| and preferably adjacent the center of the shaft, as shown in Fig, 1, this disk being formed peripherally with similar seats or slots 21. A plurality of arbors, conveniently madein lengths of piping 29, are supported in aligned slots 23 and 21 of the reel disks 2| and 25, respectively, in an adjustable and releasable manner as hereafter described.

Arbors 29 are provided with a series of pickup fingers 3| (shown by broken lines in Figs. 2 and 5) of any known or suitable construction, being preferably of the known resilient wire type, such as that disclosed in my above copending application. fArbors 29 are adapted to bev releasablyflield'in 'place'in aligned slots 23 in disks 2| by a pair of elementsor arms 33 which are loosely mounted on said arbors adjacent the ends thereof, as shown in Fig. 1.. Arms 33, preferably of metal plate, are adapted Ato lie against the corresponding disk k2| and are releasably secured thereto by a bolt 35 which passes through closely fitting openings in arm-33 and disk 2|.` Bolt 35 is tted with a nut 31 by-means of which said arms and disk may be clamped together. It will be understood that although arbors 25 are prevented -from moving out of aligned slots 23, said arbors are free to rotate in said slots because of the loose t between arbors 29 and arms 33. This construction permits convenient angular adjustmentor'. arbors 29 and pick-up lingers 3|, by means to be presently described. It is also evi- 3 dent from the above construction that arbors 29 may be readily removed in a radial direction from the open slots of disks 2| by merely removing bolts 35.

A different means is provided for connectlng each arbor with the intermediate disk 25 of the drive shaft, comprising an element or arm 39 (Figs. 1 and 2) in the form of metal plate fixed on the arbor by welding 49 (Fig. 1)", orY other suitable and known means, and provided with an opening 4| (Fig. 1) for closely receiving a bolt 43. Each bolt 43 has a sliding fit in an arcuate slot 45 (Fig. '1) located in disk 25 inwardly of each arbor receiving seat or slot 2'1, as shown in Fig. '1. With arbor 29 seated in slot 21, sliding bolt 43 laterally in slot 45 rotates or rocks arbor 29 thereby changing the angle of pick-up fingers 3| relative to the ground.

For adjusting the position of bolts 43 in slots- 45, the bolts are also passed through outwardly or radially extending slots 41' (Fig. 6) in an annular ring or disk 49. Disk 49', preferably of metal plate, is located adjacent center disk 25', but on the opposite side thereof from arms 39, as shown in Fig. 1, and as slots 41 intersect or cross arcuate slots 45, a rotary adjusting move'- ment of disk 49 relative to disk 25 serves to slide the bolts 43 in slots 45 and rotate or rocky arbors 29 in their seats 21 in disk 25, so as to adjust the angularity of the pick-up ngers attached. thereto. Bolts 43 are provided with nuts 5| (Fig. 1) for holding arms 39 and disk 49 in position on opposite sides of disk 25. However, in order to prevent 4bindingbetween disks 25 and 49 and allow relative movement therebetween, bolts 43 are also preferably provided with washers 53` and spacer sleeves 55, which as shown in Fig; l, allow said boltsk to besecurely tightened without', however, clamping saidl disks together.. A

In order to secure disk 45 tol disk 25s forhold'ing the arbors'and pick-up ngers inthe desired position of angular adjustment; disk EQ is preferably provided with an opening 51- which isradapted' to coincide with any one of a series of similar" openings 59 in disk 25A through a selected one of which a bolt 6| may be passed, as' shown in Fig; l. Bolt 6| isprovided with a nut 69 for holding said bolt in position. Y Y

In operation, therefore, when it is desired to change the angular position of' arbors 29: and pick-up ngers 3| from their radiallyY extending positions, as shown in Fig- 2', to their advanced positions, as shown in Fig; 5, it is only necessary to remove bolt 6| from the left hand onev of holes 59 in disk 25, and rotate disk 49 in a counter-clockwise direction relative to disk 25 until the single hole` 51 in disk `1|!) is brought into alignment with the right hand one of' holes 59 in disk 25', after which bolt' 5| is' reinserted, as shown in Fig. 5.

It is evident from the above description that the invention provides` a harvester pick-up reel of a simple, rugged and practical nature, having a. constructionv and arrangement. of parts by means of whichv any one or more of` the iinger arbors may be readily released and removed from its seats inthe reel disks, for removal, of one or more oi the nger asemblies or: the arbor as a whole, thus, facilitating eld. maintenance and continuous and, effective operation.y of. the machine. I`n addition, the'A above invention provides an. improved means whereby the arbors may* all be simultaneously adjusted for changing lthe angle of. the: pick-up. fingersy rliv t tht? 4 ground, by removing but a single bolt and Without the necessity of special tools or equipment.

It will thus be seen that the invention accomplishes its objects and while it has been herein disclosed by reference to the details of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that such disclosure is intended in an illustrative, rather than a limiting sense, as it is contemplated that various modications inthe construction and arrangement of the parts will readily occur to those skilled in the art, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pick-up reel for harvesters or the like comprising a driving shaft, a plurality of spaced members mounted concentrically on said shaft for rotation thereby, said members being formed peripherally with a plurality of outwardly opening, spaced seats, arbors detachably mounted for rotary adjustment in said seats, pick-up ngers on said arbors, an element xed on each of said arbors, means detachably securing said elements to one of said members, means for simultaneously adjustingL all of said. elements relative to said one of said members, and means independent oi said securing means for releasably securing saidV adjusting means to said one of said membersv for securing saidY arbors: in diiierent positions of rotary adjustment in said seats;

2. A pick-up reel for harvesters. or the like comprising a driving' shaft, a. plurality of: spaced members mounted. concentrically on said, shaft for rotation thereby, said members' being formed peripherally' with a pluralityv of outwardly opening,.space'd. seats, arbors detachably mounted for rotary adjustment. in: saidA seats, pick-up fingers on said' arbors, an. arm fixed oir each of. said arbors, means detachably connecting said arms to one of said members, an annularring. formed with a plurality' of. spaced slots'` engaging said connecting means for simultaneously adjusting all of: said' arms relative to*` said one of said mem'- bers, and meansy independent of said connectingy means for releasabl'y' securing said annular ring to said one of said members for securing said arbors and said ngers inv different positions of rotary adjustment in said seats.

3. A pick-upV reel for harvesters or the like comprising a driving shaft, a plurality of spaced parallel members mounted concentrically on said shaft for rotation thereby,- said members being formed peripherally with a plurality of outwardly opening, spaced seats, arbors detachably mounted for rotary adjustment in said seats',v

pick-up fingersv on said arbors,` an arm Iixed on each of saidarbors, means' detachably connect'- ing said armsA to:4 one; of said. members,v anL annular ring. formed. with a plurality of outwardly opening, spaced slotsengaging said. connecting means for simultaneously adjusting said'y arms and said arbors'and' said ngers relative to said one of said members, and means independent of saidconnecting means for releasably securing said annular ring to said one of said members for securing saidv arms, arbors andl fingers in diierent positions of rotary adjustment in said seats.

4. Av pick-up reel for harvesters comprising a driving shaft, a plurality of: spacedparallel members`mounted concentrically on said: shaft for rotation thereby, said.. members being formed peripherally with a plurality of outwardly opening, spaced seats, arbors detachably mounted for rotary adjustment in said seats, pick-up fingers 5 on said arbors, an arm fixed on each of said arbors, bolt means for detachably connecting said arms to one of said members, an annular ring formed with a plurality of spaced slots engaging said connecting bolts, said ring being capable of limited rotation about said drive shaft relative to said one of said members for simultaneously adjusting all of said arms relative to said one of said members, and means independent of said connecting bolt means for releasably securing said annular ring to said one of said members for securing said arbors against rotation in said seats and securing said ngers in rotarily adjusted positions.

5. A pick-up reel for harvesters comprising a driving shaft, a plurality of spaced parallel members mounted concentrically on said shaft for rotation thereby, said members being formed peripherally with a plurality of outwardly opening, spaced seats, arbors detachably mounted 20 for rotary adjustment in said seats, pick-up iingers on said arbors, an arm xed on each of said arbors, bolt means for detachably connecting said arms to one of said members, an annular ring formed with a plurality of outwardly opening, spaced slots engaging said connecting bolts, said ring being capable of limited rotation about said shaft relative to said one of said members for simultaneously adjusting all of said arms relative to said one of said members, and bolt means independent of said connecting bolt means for releasably securing said annular ring to said one of said members for securing said arbors in different positions of rotary adjustment in said seats.

KENNETH J. VAN SICKLE'.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,877,519 MacGregor Sept. 13, 1932 2,115,385 Edgington Apr. 2:6, 1938 2,497,409 Jones Feb. 14, 1950 2,548,329 Van Sickle April 10, 1951 

